Olympian Cleared of Charges in Reflecting Pool Damage Case
The Justice Department’s case against former Olympian David Hearn, accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, has been dismissed after new evidence revealed his innocence. Defense attorneys argue that the pool’s problems were due to prior issues, not Hearn’s actions.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the dismissal of the indictment on Friday, citing evidence from the Interior Department that showed Hearn was not responsible for the damage. The blame was shifted to faulty installation by a contractor and the urgency to finish the project before the America 250 celebration, as directed by President Donald Trump. The full filing can be accessed here.
Defense lawyers called for the case to be permanently dismissed, preventing any future attempts by the Trump administration to revive it. They criticized the claim that the prosecution was unaware of the pool’s pre-existing defects, accusing the government of ignoring clear evidence of installation issues. “From the outset, the evidence showed that the pool liner was already failing and that Mr. Hearn did not cause the damage alleged in the indictment,” stated Hearn’s legal team in a 28-page motion, which can be viewed here.
Photographs and videos documented the deteriorating condition of the pool, but prosecutors proceeded with charges against Hearn, which defense attorneys described as lacking a good-faith basis. Additionally, a key prosecution witness admitted that the necessary repairs would have been required regardless of Hearn’s alleged actions, and no additional costs were linked directly to him.
The contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, had acknowledged repair needs before Hearn’s indictment. The contractor had been awarded a $14.7 million no-bid contract for the pool’s renovation. More details on the contractor can be found here.
Despite the dismissal, former President Trump maintained his stance that the pool was vandalized and defended the contractors, stating, “They did a beautiful job. There were a couple of little things, but that was not a big deal. And everybody saw the vandalism. All you have to do is look at the tape.” He further criticized Pirro’s decision, calling it “totally wrong.”
Hearn, who stated he merely touched the pool’s coating during a bike ride, faced potential felony charges with up to a 10-year prison sentence. His lawyers argued these charges were brought “without a meaningful investigation into the central and obvious question in this case: whether Mr. Hearn caused, or even could have caused, any damage to the Reflecting Pool.”
